The present invention relates to a process for producing a high quality, solid juice composition with relatively stable characteristics as well as a product of the process. More particularly, the invention relates to such a process wherein the juice component is clarified and then concentrated to a minimum concentration of about 85.degree. BRIX before blending it with a heated mixture of a sugar and starch hydrolysate in relative amounts to form a homogeneous melt suitable for extrusion and formation into particles of selected shape and size.
In the prior art, spray drying has long been used as the most conventional method for commercially dehydrating many foods including citrus juices and other juices. However, the high temperatures necessarily involved during such spray drying processes have tended to eliminate or impair various heat sensitive flavors of the juices. Furthermore, juice solids formed by spray drying commonly exhibit high hygroscopic characteristics which cause difficulty in the spray drying operations themselves as well as in handling of the finished juice solids. It has also been found that spray dried juices typically exhibit a relatively limited shelf life. Within the prior art, spray drying techniques for forming juice solids are disclosed, for example, by Giel in U.S. Pat. No. 4,271,202, issued June 2, 1981 and by Gupta in U.S. Pat. No. 4,112,130, issued Sept. 5, 1978.
There has thus been found to remain a need for a process for forming relatively stable solid juice compositions where the juice component is not subjected to the high temperatures necessarily involved, for example, in spray drying. In addition, there has been found to remain a need for a solid juice composition having superior organoleptic characteristics as well as being relatively stable and free flowing.